scuttle

1 of 5

verb (1)

scut·​tle ˈskə-tᵊl 

scuttled; scuttling ˈskə-tᵊl-iŋ 

ˈskət-liŋ

intransitive verb

: scurry

scuttle

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: a quick shuffling pace

2

: a short swift run

scuttle

3 of 5

verb (2)

scuttled; scuttling

transitive verb

1

: destroy, wreck

also : scrap sense 2

2

: to cut a hole through the bottom, deck, or side of (a ship)

specifically : to sink or attempt to sink by making holes through the bottom

scuttle

4 of 5

noun (2)

1

: a small opening in a wall or roof furnished with a lid: such as

a

: a small opening or hatchway in the deck of a ship large enough to admit a person and with a lid for covering it

b

: a small hole in the side or bottom of a ship fitted with a covering or glazed

2

: a covering that closes a scuttle

scuttle

5 of 5

noun (3)

1

: a shallow open basket for carrying something (such as grain or garden produce)

2

: a metal pail that usually has a bail and a sloped lip and is used especially for carrying coal

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• barrel
• belt
• blast
• blaze
• blow
• bolt
• bomb [slang]
• bowl
• breeze
• bundle
• bustle
• buzz
• cannonball
• careen
• career
• chase
• course
• crack (on)
• dash
• drive
• fly
• hare
• hasten
• hie
• highball
• hotfoot (it)
• hump
• hurl
• hurry
• hurtle
• hustle
• jet
• jump
• motor
• nip
• pelt
• race
• ram
• rip
• rocket
• run
• rush
• rustle
• scoot
• scurry
• shoot
• speed
• step
• tear
• travel
• trot
• whirl
• whisk
• zip
• zoom

Examples of scuttle in a Sentence

Verb (1)

mice scuttling across the barn floor to escape the cats

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

About two weeks ago, NASA made the call to scuttle the pair of astronauts' return to Earth on Starliner, determining that Boeing's troubled capsule was not reliable enough to bring them home. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2024

Delta scuttled about 30% of its flights the weekend of July 19, according to the note, while United canceled about 12%, and American canceled about 5%. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2024

The British superstar was also among the many musicians whose live performances were scuttled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024

However, Beinart and Arellano’s team noticed that crustaceans seemed to survive the Hunga eruption just fine and were scuttling across the ash that had entombed so many other animals. —Ashley Balzer Vigil, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps blend of scud and shuttle

Noun (2)

Middle English skottell lid of a scuttle

Noun (3)

Middle English scutel, from Latin scutella drinking bowl, tray, diminutive of scutra platter

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1657, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

scuttle

1 of 5 noun

scut·​tle ˈskət-ᵊl 

: a metal pail for carrying coal

scuttle

2 of 5 noun

: a small opening (as in the deck of a ship or the roof of a house) with a lid or cover

also : its lid

scuttle

3 of 5 verb

scuttled; scuttling ˈskət-liŋ  -ᵊl-iŋ 

1

: to sink by cutting holes through the bottom or sides

scuttle a ship

2

: to put an end to by a deliberate act

scuttle a conference

scuttle

4 of 5 verb

scuttled; scuttling

ˈskət-liŋ,

-ᵊl-iŋ

: scurry

scuttle

5 of 5 noun

1

: a quick scuffing pace

2

: a short swift run

Etymology

Noun

Middle English scutel "a shallow basket for carrying things," from Latin scutella "drinking bowl"

Noun

Middle English skottell "lid of a scuttle"

Verb

probably a combination of ¹scud and ²shuttle